Legal and Binding
by wolfenqueenyuri
Summary: Maleficent Maurum is the top-rated divorce attourney in her city. When she meets her newest opponent in the court room, Diaval Corbeau, she senses that he will be trouble. It is not long before she's proven right, but she has no idea that the biggest trouble he will be is for her heart. Based on the film "Laws of Attraction." Maleval Modern AU.
1. The Dragon Meets The Raven

Author's note: The story behind this AU is quite funny. I basically was going through my DVD collection in search of romantic comedies that might fit my new pet pairing, and when my eyes fell upon "Laws of Attraction" I thought that the scene where they wake up after a drunken night in Ireland _married_ would be outright hysterical. So I wrote a small ficlet and made a graphic to go with it and posted it up on my tumblr (mrsreginagold). I got such a positive response that I decided to ahead and write something more substantial. The result is this.

A couple of interesting side notes: Maurum means "moor" in Latin. Corbeau means "raven" in French. The former was a result of me using google translate, the latter was a personal choice.

I sincerely hope you all enjoy this ride with me. It's looking to be an entertaining one!

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><p><span>Legal and Binding<span>

Part One: The Dragon meets The Raven

She was known by her compatriots as "The Dragon".

At first, Maleficent Maurum did not appreciate the nickname gifted to her in law school, but when she graduated top of her class: it became evident that it was just the right fit.

Over the years since her graduation, Maleficent's reputation as a fierce, highly esteemed attorney only grew.

Eventually, she decided that her skills were best suited for family law, and it wasn't long before she became the most in-demand divorce lawyer in the entire city.

Life was good: she had an illustrious career, a spectacular apartment all to herself, and the respect of her colleagues (not to mention some of the most revered judges in the state).

Therefore, the last thing she ever expected was to earn a rival, but one day: she found him in Diaval Corbeau.

* * *

><p>The <em>proper<em> reaction that one had upon learning that a new opposing counsel had been hired was to quietly and calmly process the information, and then proceed as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

And to all around her: that was exactly how Maleficent appeared. No one would have guessed that fifteen minutes before walking through the courtroom door she had locked herself up in a restroom stall and downed an entire Hostess Cupcake.

Her one vice was junk food. She did her best to quell the cravings with healthy alternatives, but she often kept a stash of sweets hidden in her desk for emergencies.

Once she was no longer in danger of a panic attack, the stunningly beautiful lawyer went about her business: organizing her files, making sure her client was prepared for what was to come; and paying absolutely _no attention whatsoever_ to the attractive young man who was currently asleep in a chair on the opposite side of the room.

She snuck a glance over her shoulder to ascertain him fully, and decided that her initial assessment of "handsome but shabby" was right on point.

His lanky form was half-slumped over in the chair, though his long legs were resting on top of the desk in front of him. His head was tilted back, exposing an elegant neck, and his jet-black hair was falling over his eyes rather boyishly.

His suit was horribly wrinkled and his tie was hastily thrown on, which she found entirely unprofessional, but there was also something almost endearing about him.

Maleficent shook her head, a ghost of a smile flitting over her ruby-colored lips for half-a-second. _**This**__ is who I'm going up against? He looks like he still belongs in school!_

After letting him sleep for a few more minutes, she finally glided over to him, her heels clacking against the tile.

That sound alone didn't wake him, so she tapped him on the shoulder with a pencil.

Still nothing.

Sighing, she debated her options: slapping him was definitely out of line, and leaning close to his ear to speak into it seemed far too intimate for strangers.

Finally, she settled on using the eraser of the pencil and swirled it around in his ear—carefully, of course: she didn't want to damage his hearing.

It worked like magic.

Dark brown eyes shot open and met hers, widening considerably as he got a good look at her.

Maleficent took great pride in making sure her appearance was immaculate while in court. Her auburn hair was piled into a sensible bun, and she wore a tailored pantsuit comprised of a black coat, matching trousers, and a dark purple button-down shirt that she left open at the throat to reveal a string of expensive pearls.

"Uh…hi." He stared at her in complete awe.

Putting on her most winning smile, Maleficent extended her hand. "Maleficent Maurum. I'm representing Mrs. Hood."

He shook her hand before replying. "Diaval Corbeau. I've heard excellent things, Mrs. Maurum."

"It's Miss," she corrected, not certain how she felt about the way his eyes seemed to light up at the information.

"That felt nice, by the way," he gestured at his ear and flashed a playful grin in her direction.

Maleficent blinked, thrown off-guard by his easy-going nature and because, when he smiled, her heart unexpectedly started doing cartwheels in her chest.

"Well…I should get back to my client. I just wanted to introduce myself."

"And I appreciate that you took the time," that grin seemed to widen and his eyes sparkled. "I look forward to seeing you in action, Miss Maurum."

She had no idea how to respond to that, so she offered a small nod and then turned and headed back to where her client sat.

A voice that had been buried deep down within her said that Diaval Corbeau was going to be trouble.

She was proven right almost immediately.


	2. No Strings Attached

Author's Note: I've actually had this finished for a few days but life got hectic and I didn't have a chance to proofread and post it till now. Hopefully it's worth the wait!

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><p><span>Part Two: No Strings Attached<span>

A friend had told her long ago that when things went wrong: they tended to do so in a chain reaction.

Maleficent had often mocked this concept, but she was beginning to think that there was some merit to it nonetheless.

To say that she had experienced a week of _hell _was putting it lightly. And it was all Diaval Corbeau's fault –at least, that was what she kept telling herself.

Her biggest mistake was underestimating him: for thinking that his sloppy manners and devil-may-care attitude were for real. In fact, it was all a mask that hid keen intellect and cunning ambition.

He was _good_ at his job. Perhaps a little too good.

Maleficent had always hated competition, and when that competition was wrapped in a package of boyish good-looks, an Irish lilt that made every woman in the vicinity melt, and a winning smile: well it just made her blood boil even more.

It wasn't just the fact that he was a good lawyer that irritated her though. It was that she couldn't be _rid_ of him most of the time. She had no idea how he was doing it, but he must have employed some kind of spy to find out her daily routine. That would explain why he showed up and bought her coffee each morning.

Admittedly: she wasn't minding the free java so much.

What was most unnerving, however, was that despite his constant presence and his ability to walk circles around her in the courtroom: she found him charming.

Maleficent didn't trust charming people. Her ex had been charming, and all that had resulted in was a broken heart, a livid scar and expensive bouts of therapy.

Therefor: she was absolutely certain that Diaval was _after_ something, she just couldn't figure out what.

It was because of this rampant curiosity about her rival was really up to that she had gotten herself into proverbial hot water.

* * *

><p>Diaval's office was located above an Asian market. An odd choice for a highly esteemed divorce lawyer, but then; he tended to follow the beat of his own drum.<p>

Maleficent had gone there with the purest of intentions: to schedule a meeting. She figured a proper face-to-face would level the playing field…and perhaps give her a chance to figure out his tells.

She had _not _expected the door to be open, or for his work space to resemble a pigsty.

She'd grabbed a stack of post-it notes to leave him a message, and succeeded in knocking over an entire stack of files.

After scrambling to pick them up and reorganize them, her day got worse when she heard his voice in the hall and, fearing being caught: she bolted.

Her exit had been highly undignified: flying down the stairs, making use of the stock room entrance to the market, grabbing a bag of chips on her way out and throwing money at the cashier, and then nearly getting run over by a taxi.

The next day, she'd discovered that not only had Diaval been the one to recommend her to speak at a rather prestigious conference: he had caught her entire escape on a camera disguised as a pen, and shown the entire hall the images.

She was very lucky that all he had gotten of her was from the back, but the shame of the moment was burned forever into her memory.

It would probably be a while before she was able to face him again, and she secretly hoped that she never would.

* * *

><p>As usual: the universe worked with a sense of irony.<p>

* * *

><p>Friday nights were Maleficent's official "downtime", and she usually spent them curled up on the coach, indulging her sweet tooth and marathoning TV series saved up on her DVR.<p>

She was half-way through her fudge sundae and three episodes into Game of Thrones when the phone rang.

She peered over at the caller-ID, not recognizing the number. The only people who had access to her personal line anyway were her secretary, her boss, and her god-daughter Aurora, so she figured it was just a telemarketer and let it ring.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when Diaval's raspy voice filtered over the answering machine.

"Hey, uh…it's Diaval. Diaval Corbeau. Listen: I feel like I owe you an apology for earlier—

She picked up before he could start groveling. "This is highly unprofessional! How'd you get this number?"

"Your secretary. And since we're off-hours I'm not considering myself a professional at the moment."

She could picture the smirk on his handsome face and narrowed her eyes. "I told her that she was only to give out this number in case of emergencies."

"Well, as it happens: it's an emergency. I seem to have made a right arse out of myself in regards to a rather stunning, smart, and wonderful woman and I'd like to make amends."

A flush began to spread along her skin at the compliment. "Look. This charming school-boy act of yours might work with the paralegal set, but I'll have you know—

"You think I'm charming?"

There was a beat of silence before she muttered: "Beside the point."

He chuckled heartily on the other end of the line.

She aimed a glare at the wall in front of her since she wasn't staring at his face. "The point is: that kind of stuff doesn't work on me."

"And what does? Fine wine and chocolate?"

"….Are you _flirting_ with me?"

"Will it help in the apology? Because I can flirt up a storm with you, Mal, if it means that you'll actually look me in the eyes the next time we see each other."

Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she managed another word: "Did you just call me Mal?"

"Well you don't seem to respond that well to Miss Maurum. And Maleficent, while beautiful, is a bit of a mouthful."

"I..you…what do you _want_ Mr. Corbeau?"

"Please, call me Diaval. And what I want…is to take you out for dinner. As a peace offering."

She nearly dropped the phone in shock.

After several minutes of silence, Diaval spoke again. "You still there?"

"Y-yeah…I'm here," she never stammered, but considering the fact that her heart was about to leap out of her chest she was lucky she could form coherent syllables.

"So…would you like to? Go out for dinner, I mean."

"Is this…" she swallowed, "a date?"

"If you want it to be. If not, it's just two colleagues sharing a meal and getting to know each other a little better. It's entirely a no-strings-attached kind of deal, I assure you."

She thought it over, and then responded. "And when would you want to have this "meal"?"

"Are you free tomorrow? I can get us reservations somewhere."

"Actually, I think I'd prefer something more casual."

"There's this excellent pizzeria a few blocks down from my apartment. I'll bring the food if you'll bring the wine?"

"Who's place?"

"It's up to you."

She paused, considering: "Yours. As long as it's not the same state as your office."

He laughed sharply. "I just got into town a week ago! I haven't had time to file things. And besides, you were the one who broke in."

"I didn't break in! Your door was open!"

"…that desperate to see me, huh?"

Once again she glared at the wall. "You, sir, were out of line when you recorded me leaving. I'm willing to overlook that if you stop with this ridiculous flirting."

"Can't make any promises when a beautiful woman's involved, but I'll try."

"…You think I'm beautiful?"

"I thought you were the most stunning creature I'd ever laid eyes upon."

The outright sincerity in his tone floored Maleficent, and once again she struggled to find the proper words.

Eventually she cleared her throat and spoke in a much softer voice. "What time did you want to meet?"

"Seven. Try to wear something less…severe-looking. Don't get me wrong, the sexy librarian look is great, but I'd like to see you let your hair down a little."

She glanced down at herself, currently clad in yoga pants and a blue tee-shirt, with a bowl of melted ice cream still in one hand and her hair damp from a shower and pulled into a messy ponytail. "I'll…see what I can do."

She was sure there was a grin on his face by this point. "Good. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"All right, good night."

"Good night."

With that, the conversation was over and she stared blankly at the tv-screen that was now playing the end credits for the episode she had missed entirely.

The second she finally came to the realization that she had made a _date_ with her competitor, she grabbed the phone again and dialed Aurora's number.

"Hey. Feel like a shopping trip tomorrow?"

"Absolutely god-mother! What's the occasion?"

"Believe it or not…I think I have a date."

She had to hold the phone away from her ear because her god daughter's squealing was loud enough to wake the surrounding neighborhood…and quite possibly the dead.


	3. Open Your Heart

Author's note: To all those who have read and reviewed: thank you so much for the feedback and I'm glad you're enjoying this AU. In terms of updates: I really only have weekends to focus on fic, so god-willing, this fic will be added to on a weekly basis. Hopefully this chapter was worth the wait: the much anticipated first date is included in it ;)

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><p><span>Part Three: Open Your Heart<span>

"No."

Aurora's outright dismissal of Maleficent's choice in apparel was accompanied by a nose scrunch that was equal parts annoying and endearing.

Unfortunately: the lawyer's patience was wearing very thin since they were currently in the tenth store that her god-daughter insisted on dragging her into to find something appropriately date-worthy to wear.

So far, despite the fact that she had tried on at least fifty outfits; Aurora had yet to approve of any.

"What's wrong with _this_ one?!" Maleficent resisted the urge to throw her hands up in the air in frustration.

"It's too…mature looking. And black _again?_ Seriously, godmother, if it weren't for your style I'd say that you look like you walked straight out of Hot Topic."

She bit her tongue in order to keep the fact that she sometimes went into said store in order to buy "lounging around" tees from surfacing. "But black goes with everything!"

Aurora gave her a withering look. "I am _not _letting you go on your first date in sixteen years looking like the mistress of all evil, okay?."

Maleficent rolled her eyes and made an irritated sound, but didn't continue the argument.

Her god-daughter went back to shuffling through dresses, skirts, and tops. "So: this date…it's with Diaval, isn't it?"

Maleficent went entirely still. She hadn't mentioned to Aurora that Diaval was her would-be suitor, which begged the question: "How on _Earth_ did you figure that out?"

"Oh come on, it's practically written on your face! Besides: he's all you talk about lately."

She continued to gape at her companion. "I…don't talk about him that much, do I?"

Aurora merely arched an eyebrow. "Trust me. You do. The last time we talked on the phone you went on about him for almost three hours."

She tried to think of a snarky reply to that, but failed to come up with something decent, so she settled on: "Three hours of complaining about what an ass he can be doesn't count."

"Sure it does. It means he's left you with an impression."

"Well if that impression is that he drives me up the wall…" Maleficent sighed and tried to focus on finding something in a hue other than one that matched Diaval's hair. "I don't know why I'm doing this."

"Because you like him."

"Trust me, beastie, I do _not_ like him. I can barely tolerate him."

"Okay so maybe like is too strong a word for now…but you _are_ attracted to him," Aurora turned to face her and crossed her arms over her chest. "And don't you dare try to deny it."

Maleficent sighed. "And what, pray tell, makes you think that I'm attracted to him?"

"Because I've seen him on TV and that man is _fine._"

"Then why don't you date him instead and put me out of my misery?"

"Because it would land him in jail. Also he's not really my type."

"Then why'd you say he was attractive?"

"Because he _is._ I'm 16, godmother, not blind! And you know the other reason I know you're attracted to him? It's the way your ears turn red when you talk about him."

"My ears do not turn—

"They're turning red right now."

Maleficent cast a quick glance in a nearby mirror and was horrified to realize that her godchild was right.

The ear to ear grin that Aurora was sporting certainly did not help matters either.

The divorce attorney glared at the high school student. "Just…help me pick out something that isn't black, all right?"

Aurora giggled and nodded, and thankfully: that particular conversation drew to a close.

* * *

><p>When Maleficent arrived at Diaval's apartment building that evening, it was roughly ten minutes till seven, and she had <em>never <em>felt so nervous in her life.

It was a highly unusual sensation, as hardly anything got her rattled. Except, for some reason: the prospect of being alone with an admittedly very attractive and charming man.

Self-consciously, she toyed with her hair, which felt in soft, loose curls around her face and shoulders.

She was dressed in dark blue jeans and a billowy, light green floral-printed blouse. A simple silver necklace in the shape of a feather was placed around her neck, and, per Aurora's suggestion, she had completed the outfit with a pair of dark grey ballet flats.

She felt extremely out of her element while not wearing a hint of black, but she did her best to appear casual as she strode towards the elevator.

A full three minutes later, she knocked on Diaval's door, and inhaled deeply to calm herself when she heard his familiar rasp call out: "Just a sec!"

The door swung open, and immediately, Maleficent's breath was stolen from her.

He was standing there wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist, his dark hair damp and falling carelessly into his eyes.

Nearly every inch of his pale, leanly muscled form was on display and still gleaming with water, but that wasn't all that caught her attention.

His otherwise smooth skin was littered with scars, the most obvious being two medium-sized ones on his neck, and a rather large on across his chest. There were also two tiny ones that stretched from the top of his brow to his cheek, but she had never commented on them.

Upon seeing just how much he was covered in scars, she couldn't help it when she blurted: "What the _hell?_ How did you get all of these?!" Forgetting propriety (and the nerves from before disappearing entirely), she moved forward and startled him when she ran her fingers along the one on his chest.

"You're early," was all he managed, his breath catching in his throat when her nails trailed over a smaller scar beneath his navel.

"I took a shortcut." She muttered, preoccupied with mapping out the raised tissue.

He caught her hand when it began to stray over what was exposed of his hip. "As much as I'm enjoying the fact that it took nothing at all to get your hands on me…it might be a good idea if you came inside and I put some clothes on."

She looked up at him, and they engaged in a brief staring match before she nodded. "Right. Clothes. Clothes are good."

He couldn't help chuckling, and then he tugged her inside by her wrist.

* * *

><p>It was far less distracting when Diaval had clothes <em>on<em>, and Maleficent had to admit that the soft-looking, light blue sweater that he combined with jeans did suit him well, but she was still curious about the scars she had seen earlier.

"So…how _did_ you get all of them?" she asked as he brought her a glass of wine and sat next to her on the couch as they waited for the pizza he just ordered to arrive.

"That's a little heavy for first date talk, isn't it?"

She took a sip and shrugged. "Small talk isn't exactly our thing. Might as well start with something interesting."

He let out a soft, resigned sound and leaned back into the cushions, their shoulders touching as he sampled his own glass of wine. "Well…most of them date back to my days growing up in Ireland. I lived in a pretty small town, and I was what you'd call a bit of rebel in my youth. I got into a lot of fights."

"And the ones that aren't from those times?"

His eyes locked with hers, and he reached for her hand.

She blinked at him curiously, but then he brought her fingers to the scar that ran along the right side of his neck. "This one was from protecting my little sister from an abusive boyfriend. If the knife he used had been any longer, I probably would have been decapitated and not sitting here with you now."

Maleficent paled and brought her free hand up to her mouth to stifle a gasp. "I'm sorry!"

"Sorry for what happened or sorry that you asked?"

"Both."

He searched her gaze for a long moment, and then whispered: "Don't be. It's what made me decide to become a lawyer, and it's a reminder every day that I can truly help people."

She studied him seriously, trying to figure out the puzzle that he was. "Perhaps I've misjudged you, Mr. Corbeau."

"Most people do," he confessed, leaning closer. "But I'm glad that you're finally warming up to me."

"Perhaps that's just what I want you to think," she teased, hoping to lighten the mood slightly "To throw you off your guard before I attack in earnest." Deliberately, she leaned forward, mentally noting that perhaps Aurora had made a good point about the attraction thing earlier. Then again, it could have been the wine at work.

He cupped her chin tenderly. "Something tells me that I'll enjoy this attack of yours."

She was torn between wanting to continue their repartee and just throwing caution to the wind and kissing him. (She definitely blamed alcohol for the latter idea).

The doorbell rang before she could ultimately figure it out.

Diaval politely excused himself and returned minutes later with a large box, which he then opened to reveal a delicious-looking pepperoni pizza.

"I have to say: I was very impressed when you told me to order something with meat," he stated, carefully choosing a slice and offering it to her on a paper plate.

"What's pizza without pepperoni?" she chuckled and accepted it from him.

"Ah so you're a carnivore. I'll stash that information away. Anything else I should know?"

She plucked a stray pepperoni from the bottom of the box. "Chocolate beats vanilla."

"Doesn't it always?"

Laughing, she brought the pizza slice to her mouth and took a small bite to test it out.

It tasted as good as it looked.

They ate in companionable silence until Diaval went into the kitchen to grab the second bottle she'd brought with her and refill their glasses. "So…I believe it's your turn."

"Excuse me?" she cast a confused look in his direction.

"I told you a rather personal story earlier. It's your turn now."

Reflexively, her shoulder blades ached as a painful memory entered her mind. It was her darkest, most secret pain, and yet she felt the urge to tell him about it.

He noticed her melancholy expression and his eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Mal?"

She sighed, and decided that it was time to take a chance. "It's only fair…since I asked about your scars."

He was about to ask her what she meant when she turned around and lifted the back of her shirt.

There, only slightly hidden by the straps and hooks of her bra, were two painful looking scars. They ran along the edge of each shoulder blade, and he couldn't stifle the gasp of horror that emerged when he saw them.

Placing their wine glasses aside, he sunk to his knees and gingerly ran his fingers along both. "How?"

"I didn't have a protective big brother to defend my honor," she whispered, looking over her shoulder at him. "My ex was a bastard, basically."

Understanding dawned in his eyes. "Is that why you're so closed off?"

"Can you really blame me?"

He shook his head, dark feathers of hair falling over his forehead. "No."

She sighed quietly and reached over to smooth the errant strands away from his face. "Some first date I turn out to be…"

He caught her hand with his and shook his head, pressing a brief kiss to her palm. "Don't say that. We can still salvage this."

Her heart fluttered at his consideration. "How about chocolate sundaes and a Disney movie? Something to lift our spirits and make us forget about all these old wounds?"

"Sounds perfect. Are you okay with _Sleeping Beauty_?"

"How'd you know it was my favorite?"

"Your name is a dead giveaway," he smiled sweetly and rose to his feet, offering her a hand to help her up. "I'll go grab the blu ray if you make the sundaes?"

"Deal." For the first time that night: Maleficent grinned.

* * *

><p>It was during the "Once Upon a Dream" sequence that Maleficent risked leaning her head against Diaval's shoulder, smiling when he rested his chin on top of her hair and draped his arm around her back.<p>

She laughed out loud when he made a squawk of indignation upon seeing her namesake's pet raven turned to stone.

But it wasn't until the dark sorceress turned into a dragon that she decided to make a leap of faith.

If Diaval was surprised when Maleficent turned his face towards hers and initiated a kiss, he didn't show it.

And considering the fact that he was the one to deepen the embrace, it was evident that he'd been waiting all night for the right moment.

She pulled back first, both to gauge his reaction and mutter: "If you tell anyone at my firm about this…"

"My lips are sealed," he replied.

"Good. Now put them to better use and kiss me again."

"Yes, mistress." He chuckled from low in his throat, and then his mouth was preoccupied with hers once more.


	4. The Start of Something

Author's note: The fluff is strong in this part. I regret nothing. It also happens to be the beginning of Maleval week on tumblr. While I don't know if I'll be able to participate every day, I would like to contribute at least a couple of things. So if there a few one shots that pop up from me randomly over the week, that's why ;) Enjoy the new chapter!

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><p><span>Part Four: The Start of Something<span>

Maleficent woke with two realizations: one, she was currently nursing what had to be the _worst _migraine on record (at least in her experience), and two- she was not alone.

At some point in the night, she and Diaval had fallen asleep in each other's arms on the couch in his living room.

The lawyer glanced down covertly to make certain that they weren't naked, and was relieved to discover that they were both sufficiently clothed.

Well, that was one bullet effectively dodged. As much as she had enjoyed herself in his company, sex on the first date would have been moving _way_ too fast.

She tilted her chin so she could study him while he slept. His boyishly handsome features seemed even younger in repose, and his soft lips were parted slightly as he breathed in and out.

A lock of hair fell rakishly across his forehead, and she was suddenly consumed with the temptation to kiss him awake.

She bit at her lower lip as she considered the thought: it was so utterly cliché, and yet, they had spent the better part of their date watching fairytales.

_Oh to hell with it! _Unable to resist any longer: she leaned in and brushed her lips lightly against his.

Slowly, his dark eyes fluttered open and he gazed at her sleepily before breaking into a cheerful smile. "Good morning."

"Hi…" she kept her eyes locked with his and made no move to rise just yet.

He seemed just as content to remain where he was, even going so far as to drape his arms over her waist. "What time is it?"

She willed herself to tear her gaze away from his in order to glance at the clock above his mantel. "It's 8. …oh shit, it's 8?! I need to be at the office!" she shot up abruptly and regretted it instantly when her head protested. "Ah!"

Concerned, Diaval sat up carefully and rubbed gentle circles over her back. "Too much wine last night?"

"Mmm…" she nodded, wincing as her migraine worsened. "Do you have any aspirin?"

"I'll do you one better," he pressed a light kiss to her cheek and then rose. "I'll be right back. You should lie back down."

Unable to protest, as her vision was starting to swim and she might have been stubborn but she wasn't an _idiot_: Maleficent did as he suggested.

She stared up at the ceiling and was in the middle of a vow to never again touch alcohol when her companion returned with a large glass.

The second she heard a familiar fizzing sound, she managed a small smile. "Alka-seltzer?"

"More commonly known as fizzy-good-make-feel-nice," he joked, sitting on the coffee table across from her and handing it over. "Now sit up _slowly_ this time."

"Yes dear," she may have grumbled the words, but there was genuine gratitude in her eyes when she accepted the drink and took a small sip to start.

"Also, I feel like I should probably inform you that it's 8 on a _Sunday _morning."

Upon hearing this information, Maleficent's cheeks colored. "Oh…so, I don't need to be at the office then."

He laughed softly. "No. But that's good news for me because it means that I can make you breakfast and take you out for the day."

The Alka-seltzer was already starting to do the trick, and she managed another brief smile. "What'd you have in mind?"

"Well, first: breakfast. What would you prefer?"

"What's your specialty?"

"Easy. Cinnamon French Toast."

Her stomach grumbled at the mention. "That sounds divine. Is there any place I can freshen up first though?"

He smirked and leaned close. "I'll have you know that you look stunning even while hung-over; but I'm sure a shower will be appreciated. Go straight down to the last room on the right, that's the main bathroom."

"Thanks," she gingerly rose from the chair and walked slowly in the direction he had given her, looking back only once to see him moving about in the kitchen: a sight which made her bite back a chuckle before she focused her attention on getting that shower and feeling normal again.

* * *

><p>The combination of the Alka-seltzer, a hot bath, and finding Diaval's supply of aspirin in the bathroom cabinet proved to be just what she needed. After her shower, Maleficent felt much more like herself again. Once she was done, she sauntered into the kitchen to check on her date's progress with their breakfast.<p>

"Mmm…that smells wonderful," she murmured, messing with her still-damp hair as she moved close to his side.

He looked over at her and sweetly brushed a loose tendril of hair out of her eyes. "You feeling better now?"

"Much. And I'm starving," she peered over his shoulder, pressing her chest up against his back as she studied what he was doing.

"Then you're just in time. There's fresh coffee in the pot on the table. I would have poured you a cup but I wasn't sure how you liked it," he pointed at the small dining table that took up a corner of the room.

"Right now, I think I'll have it black as I'm still reeling from all the wine last night. How do you like yours?" She wandered over and began to pour two cups of steaming hot, nearly-black colored liquid.

"Two sugars and some creamer," he stated, concentrating on his task.

She fixed his drink and then sat down, sipping at her own as she observed him.

Her heart jumped in her chest when he threw a glance over his shoulder and winked at her.

It wasn't long until he was finished with cooking their meal, and after turning off the stove, he walked over with two plates of delicious looking cinnamon French toast, topped with powdered sugar.

He presented hers first. "Bon appetit. I hope you like it,"

She inhaled the heavenly, sweet scent and then wasted little time in pouring maple syrup on top and digging in.

Diaval's eyes widened slightly at seeing how much syrup she doused the bread in. "I'm getting the feeling that you like the sweet stuff."

Maleficent mumbled something incoherent around a mouthful.

"You're gonna have to repeat that."

She swallowed and glanced at him apologetically. "Sorry. It's really rude to talk with your mouth full, I know, but this is the best French toast I've had in ages! And yes: I do have a sweet tooth. It's my one weakness."

"Well I'll be happy to exploit that weakness as I share it," he chuckled and took a bite of his own toast.

They ate in companionable silence for a while, until Maleficent decided to broach another subject. "So…you said something about taking me out today?"

He looked over at her again. "Only if you're up for it."

"I am," she reached across the table and squeezed his hand lightly. "What'd you have in mind?"

"How about the zoo? I heard that they got a new bird exhibit recently. I wouldn't mind checking that out."

"You like birds?"

"Ravens, mostly."

She arched an eyebrow. "Ravens?"

"Like my last name isn't a dead giveaway?" he teased.

Maleficent shook her head, her lips quirking in amusement. "All right, bird-man. The zoo it is."

He tilted his head back and laughed heartily at the nickname. "You've got it, mistress."

She blushed fiercely. "Don't call me that in public."

Diaval just laughed some more.

* * *

><p>Her date was kind enough to allow her to stop at home and change into clothes that were different from the ones from the night before.<p>

When she came down the steps wearing black jeans and the lavender top that she thought was perfect date material to begin with, it was with a slightly smug grin.

That grin only widened when Diaval told her that she looked gorgeous, and she made a mental note to boast about the fact to Aurora the next time she saw her.

* * *

><p>The zoo was quiet for a weekend, but that was fine by the couple as they walked slowly through the exhibits hand-in-hand.<p>

Maleficent wasn't sure what it was about the man at her side that made her feel so comfortable. All the previous her previous relationships had been short and utterly disastrous, but Diaval was vastly different from the other men she had dated.

It just felt _right_ being with him, and though she was the furthest thing from a romantic, she was drawing to the conclusion that maybe, just _maybe_ she had finally found her soul mate.

* * *

><p>When they reached the bird exhibit, and she saw his entire being light up at seeing a pair of beautiful ravens, Maleficent was sure of one thing: Diaval had found a place in her heart.<p>

She watched him fondly as he drew close to the glass partition to examine the birds more closely.

"They're lovely," she leaned into his side.

"Aren't they?" He looked at her, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

She just nodded and brought a hand up to his face, caressing his cheek gently before whispering. "Thank you."

He tilted his head curiously. "For what?"

"For bringing me here; and for last night. I have a tendency to get so caught up in my work that I forget to relax."

Diaval gazed at her warmly before framing her face with his hands. "I could tell that from the moment we met."

"You could?" her eyes went wide this time.

"Yes. It was obvious that you were fantastic at your job but getting to know you beyond that…I could tell that was a challenge. Luckily: I like challenges."

She stared right back at him for a moment that felt like forever, and then inhaled shakily before admitting to him: "I'm no good at this. I've never had a relationship since Stefan that lasted more than a few weeks."

"Stefan…was that the guy that?" he didn't finish his question, instead moving one hand to her back and stroking over the area where her scars were located.

She nodded.

He sighed and pulled her closer. "Look: It's not like I'm getting down on one knee and promising forever. I just…I think we'd be good together and I'd like to give _us _a chance."

"I want to give us a chance too," she confessed. "I just….I hope you'll be patient with me."

"I have a feeling you'll be well worth the wait," he pressed his lips to her forehead, and then nuzzled lovingly at her hair.

Maleficent closed her eyes and leaned into his touch.

They stayed like that for a while, until he broke the silence again. "Did you know that ravens mate for life?"

She chuckled and brought her eyes to his. "I had no idea."

"Well then…let me enlighten you," his tone lowered to a husk as he dipped his head towards hers for a kiss which she gladly reciprocated, and then he gathered her in his arms as he told her all that he knew about the species.


	5. A Favor

Author's note: I *tried* to have this chapter done in time for the final day of Maleval week, but it simply didn't work out the way I intended. That being said: the plot thickens. *rubs hands together and cackles gleefully*. You'll see some more Aurora in this chapter, among other faces familiar to a different fairy-tale based work ;) I may take a week off fic thanks to all the work I did for this one…or at least I may work with a different ship for a chance next weekend. But I'll be back to this AU soon enough. I'm having so much fun working on it and I'm loving the response to it! Enjoy the update!

* * *

><p><span>Part Five: A Favor, A Prospective Client, and a Realization<span>

Three weeks had gone by rather blissfully for the newly founded couple.

Most of that was due to Maleficent. She had taken great pains to insist that a line was drawn between work and romance—something that Diaval had not only understood, but agreed to entirely.

Their daily schedules became something of a routine: they would meet for coffee in the morning, walk to the train station and ride into the city together, before going separate ways to their offices. They'd hook up again for lunch (if they could, sometimes their workloads could get in the way), and take each other's minds off of the hectic life a lawyer had for a while before heading back and finishing their work for the day. Then, every evening they'd ride the train home together, get dinner at one of the local places they liked, and typically part ways unless it was a weekend and they wanted to have a full-fledged date night.

As for what these dates consisted of: it varied. One week it could be dinner and a movie. Another they would head for an amusement park.

Diaval had even braved taking her to the beach. And while it had not taken her long to figure out that this was mainly to see her in a bathing suit (though she had worn a cover-up to keep the scars on her back hidden), secretly, she had rather liked being admired.

The key to their success so far was that they _liked_ each other. They didn't get bored of each other's company, and while they were compatible sexually (their sometimes epically long make-out sessions were a testament to this), that wasn't what drove them to spend time together.

Diaval had a knack for bringing out the bright side in everything. Maleficent often felt that he was pure sunshine encased in a human form, and that was the main reason she enjoyed being with him.

For his part, Diaval found that Maleficent balanced him out, even if getting to know her better could be a chore. Peeling back the metaphorical layers was an arduous task, but whenever she opened up to him and let him in a bit more, it was worth it.

* * *

><p>Of course, the problem with things going smoothly for such a long time was: inevitably something would disrupt the peace.<p>

This disruption arrived in a flurry of blond curls, wide blue eyes, and a particularly excitable personality.

* * *

><p>"Whoa, whoa, Aurora slow down," Maleficent pinched the bridge of her nose, and then cast an apologetic look towards Diaval, as her goddaughter's phone call had interrupted what had been a quiet afternoon together. "You got tickets to <em>what<em> now?"

"Killian Jones and the Pirates! Honestly, godmother: they're only the hottest rock band around right now. And I have two more tickets but Philip had to back out because he's sick. He was going to bring his cousin, David, but now it looks like I'm on my own."

"What? No, you are not going to a concert unaccompanied!"

"You think I want to?! I might be a teenager but I'm not naïve! I was…hoping that you might be willing to tag along."

Maleficent pondered the offer, and immediately her brain began to swim with horrific images of bright lights, bodies crowded into a mosh pit, and drugs being passed around. "I might not be willing, but I'm coming with you. Is it…all right if," she swallowed and glanced at Diaval. "You said you had _two_ extra tickets right?"

"Oh please, bring Diaval; I've been _dying_ to meet him in person!"

She arched an eyebrow. "And how did you know I wasn't going to ask to bring someone else?"

"Like you'd ask anyone else?" Aurora's voice was dripping with unneeded sarcasm.

"Do be quiet Beastie."

Diaval, who had remained silent the entire time, bit back a snort of laughter.

Maleficent glared at him. "What time's this concert?"

"It starts at 7. We should be there by 6 at the latest."

"So that gives the two of us an hour to get ready. We'll be at your place around 4:30, okay?"

"Okay. Oh and wear something "cool."

The lawyer rolled her eyes. "I'm sure with my boyfriend's help, I'll manage."

Aurora giggled, thanked her, and then said goodbye before hanging up the phone.

Maleficent ended the call on her cell and locked eyes with a smug-looking Diaval, who was sitting on the couch next to her.

"So…I'm your boyfriend now, am I?"

She swatted at his arm. "Shut up."

He chuckled and tugged her close for a quick kiss. "Now, what kind of concert are we going to?"

"Some rock band called Killian and the Pirates."

"Heard of 'em. The lead singer's rather infamous, actually. His wife is a big time fashion designer. Anyway: they're really popular, so I'm not surprised Aurora is aware of them."

"It doesn't matter if they're a huge success or an indie band, a rock concert is still a rock concert, and she's not going alone."

"Oh I agree entirely. It's not place for a sixteen year old girl alone."

Maleficent rested her head on his shoulder and leaned into his side. "So you don't mind interrupting our date to chaperone, then?"

"I'm still spending time with you. It counts," he brushed his lips against her temple. "But what was the thing you needed my help with?"

"Clothes. Aurora said we need to look cool. I think she's mainly addressing me," she gestured at herself, as she was currently dressed in yoga pants and a shirt with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles grinning and eating pizza as the design.

Diaval grinned and raked his eyes over her. "Well I think you look perfect, but I'm sure I can come up with something appropriate."

She shook her head, but smiled back and leaned in to kiss him again: intent to use what little spare time they had to pursue more pleasant avenues of distraction.

* * *

><p>Aurora's face when they showed up at her door was worth the painstaking process of finding the right outfit.<p>

After rummaging around the dregs of her closet, her boyfriend had discovered something she had thought she'd thrown away: a miniskirt made out of black leather.

Declaring it perfect, he went on to match it with a leopard print top that she'd hidden at the base of her dresser (she never thought it would suit her well but bought it on an impulse), and completed the outfit with her black, thigh-length boots.

She had then taken the time to style her hair in loose waves and applied a bit more eyeliner than she usually did, before putting on smoky eye-shadow and bright red lipstick.

To stave off the slight chill in the air, Diaval had leant her one of his leather coats when they had stopped at his place so he could change.

Her expression when he had emerged from his bedroom in skin-tight dark jeans and a black button-down shirt left unbuttoned at his collar, which revealed hints of the scars on his skin, had probably been similar to Aurora's when she saw the two of them.

"Oh my _god_. Who are you and what have you done with my godmother?" Aurora teased, dragging Maleficent in for a hug.

"Very funny," she pulled back and looked back at Diaval. "Diaval, this is my god-daughter, Aurora. Aurora, meet Diaval."

With a charming smile, Diaval reached out, took Aurora's hand in his, and pressed a brief kiss to her knuckles. "It's very nice to meet you, princess."

Aurora blushed, but offered him a bright, happy smile, and then leaned in to whisper in Maleficent's ear. "Keep him. Keep him _forever_."

The attorney resisted the urge to groan. "Let's get going, shall we?" She linked one arm with Diaval, and the other with Aurora, before leading the way to her boyfriend's car.

* * *

><p>Two hours later, Maleficent was certain that she was in <em>hell.<em>

Whatever Killian Jones and the Pirates were playing: it wasn't music. It was noise.

That noise was accompanied by ear-drum shattering screams of the mostly female crowd, the majority of it directed at the lead singer.

Killian Jones himself seemed to be eating up every second of it. While he was handsome, in a rugged, rapscallion-type of way: Maleficent could tell that he was also arrogant. His grey-blue eyes would twinkle knowingly at the crowd, and a smug smirk rarely left his face as he strutted around in tight leather pants and no shirt, much to the delight of everyone there under 20.

Eventually, she'd had _enough_ and leaned in to shout in Diaval's ear. "I'm getting some air! Can you keep an eye on her?" she gestured at Aurora, who was screaming and jumping with the rest of the teens around her.

Diaval glanced at her, understanding in his eyes, and nodded, waving her off.

Gratefully, she bolted and headed out into the lobby, wincing as her ears began to ring. "Ugh. I think I might be deaf…"

She wandered over to the concessions booth, bought a soda, and took a seat at a bench.

She sipped at the drink and relaxed, stretching out a kink in her shoulder, when she was approached by a young, tear-streaked woman with reddish-brown hair. "Is this seat taken?" Maleficent picked up traces of an Australian accent as she indicated the space next to her.

She shook her head, her brows furrowing in concern. "Are you all right?"

"I've been better," the woman admitted, slumping next to her and dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. "Thanks."

Maleficent just nodded and they sat in silence for a few moments before the other woman spoke again. "Why are men such pigs?"

The lawyer snorted. "I get asked that question a lot, actually."

"Well…what's your answer?"

"Some are. Some aren't. It all depends on the guy."

"Well the one I'm married to is…I mean, he screws _everything._"

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"I should just dump divorce papers on his lap and be done with it."

"Well then it's a good thing you ran into me." Never one to turn down a prospective client, Maleficent reached into her purse and found a business card, which she then handed over to the young woman. "Maleficent Maurum, attorney at law: at your service."

The brunette's eyes widened. "Wait. Are you the lawyer that worked on the Hood case?"

Maleficent nodded. "Yes, I am."

"Oh you're good…" her companion gushed before extending out a hand. "Belle Jones."

At this new information, Maleficent blinked. "As in French Fashions?"

"You've heard of me! I kept my maiden name on the line, it just sounded better, you know?"

"So the pig that you're married to…"

"Is the fathead on stage right now? Yep." Belle informed, and then glanced rather gleefully down at the business card. "I'll be sure to give you a call. Thanks!"

"You're most welcome," Maleficent watched, astounded, as the young fashion designer bounded off as if there was nothing wrong in the world and she hadn't been crying minutes before.

As she sat there, wondering about how easily some people could just bounce back from things, the doors to the arena opened and teenagers began to pile out.

Diaval was the one to spot her through the crowd and sprinted over with Aurora in tow. "Hey. You all right?"

"Yeah. It was just stuffy in there," she stood and looked over at her god-daughter. "Did you have a good time?"

Aurora nodded rapidly, grinning from ear to ear. "Killian winked at me!"

Chuckling, Maleficent happily allowed Diaval to wrap his arms around her. "Come on, let's get this one home before she starts bouncing off the walls."

He laughed. "Agreed."

* * *

><p>After dropping Aurora off, Diaval drove Maleficent back to her apartment complex and walked her all the way back to her door, as it was quite late.<p>

"Thanks," she murmured, rummaging around for her key.

"For what?" he tilted his head curiously.

"Doing this; for me and for Aurora. I really appreciated having you there, because I don't think I would have made it the entire concert."

"Oh I don't know about that…after all you can be quite a ball-buster in the courtroom."

She smirked once she found her house-key and placed it into the lock. "Still. Thanks for being there."

He gently took hold of her arm and pulled her towards him, placing his lips on hers and initiating a sweet kiss.

She draped her arms over his neck and gladly gave in to the embrace, her fingers coiling into his hair as they allowed their feelings for one another to surface.

Slowly, she pulled back for air, and then…the unexpected happened.

"I love you."

She wasn't sure why the words fell from her lips, and her eyes went wide upon realizing that she had even said it.

Diaval's dark eyes were just as wide as he stared at her.

Silence fell between them as they both processed the effect that three simple words had.

Finally, Diaval managed a smile and whispered: "You mean it?"

She nodded slowly. "I think I do."

His response was that smile widening, and then he claimed her mouth in a far more passionate kiss that informed her that he felt _exactly_ the same way.


	6. We're In This Together Now

Author's note: And I'm back. I told you guys I wouldn't stay away from this for too long, though I really do need to update a long-standing work for another fandom, so I think I'll update this every other week till it's completed so I can get my other piece done as well. I hope you guys enjoy this absurdly sweet chapter. There's fluff and a touch of sexytimes (I can never write full-blown smut), and as such I'll raise the rating just to be on the safe side. Have fun reading the chapter!

* * *

><p><span>Part Six: We're In This Together Now<span>

When Maleficent considered her history in the law profession, she was slightly ashamed to admit that _none _of her previous cases had been nearly as stress inducing as her current one: the divorce proceedings of Killian and Belle Jones.

Though the fashion designer was quite sweet in general, there was something about her husband that brought out a nasty streak in her.

Maleficent couldn't help being impressed by Belle's determination to make Killian's life a living hell (especially since the man deserved it), but there was a limit to what could be done legally, and the petite brunette seemed to have trouble understanding that.

As a result of the couple's tendency to scream at each other during every meeting, the attorney ended up taking most of her work home with her, where she could actually concentrate.

Her saving grace in _all_ of this was Diaval. As a lawyer himself, he understood entirely what she was going through and offered a helping hand in whatever ways he could.

Those ways varied: sometimes it was ensuring that she actually ate something during a 24 hour period. Other times it was cleaning her apartment or picking up the laundry. When he wasn't swamped with his own work, he'd even assist her with all her paperwork and research.

All in all: the man was swiftly becoming her _rock-_ the steady presence in her life that kept her from going completely insane, and she was deeply grateful for him because of this.

* * *

><p>Typically, Maleficent would arrive home after a long day to find her boyfriend bustling around the kitchen, but one evening: she returned to an eerily quiet apartment.<p>

"D?" she kicked off her heels and removed her coat before stepping into the living room, wondering if maybe he'd had a long day as well and was running late.

Her answer came when her cell-phone beeped at her and she glanced at it to see a text message.

_I'm in the bath. Come join me. _

She laughed softly before typing a reply. _Just don't drop your phone in the water. I'm __**not **__buying you another one. _

_ I told you before that was an accident! And I'm not actually in the tub so get back here and help me choose bubbles!_

Chuckling, she pocketed her phone and then headed down the main hallway until she reached her bedroom, which had an adjoining master bathroom.

She pushed open the door and was treated to the sight of a robed Diaval, who was kneeling next to the tub and testing the water temperature.

Maleficent leaned against the doorway. "So…bubbles?"

He looked over at her, a warm, welcoming smile crossing his handsome face. "Yes. Bubbles. I figured your day was about as crazy as mine, so I got some take-out, which is in the fridge, and thought starting the evening out with some relaxation was just what we needed."

"That sounds perfect," she sighed and walked over to him, holding out both of her hands in order to haul him to his feet.

Once he complied, she pulled him close and greeted him properly with a loving, tender kiss.

Diaval smiled against her mouth and tugged her flush against him, his fingers delving into her hair as the embrace deepened and, for that small moment at least: all that existed was the two of them.

Eventually, Maleficent pulled back for air. "Is it sad that all I could think about today was coming home to see you?"

He grinned. "Nope, because it means that you've finally come to the realization that you can't live without me."

She rolled her eyes and playfully pushed him back, and then wandered over to the cabinets in order to rummage through them and find the bubble bath. "Why was your day tiring?"

"Well…"

She arched an eyebrow when his tone shot up an octave, which usually meant that whatever she was about to hear, she wasn't going to like.

Slowly, she turned. "What's going on?"

"Uh…it turns out that all that research we were doing for _your_ case has now become _our_ case. Jones brought me on as his new attorney."

Judging by the silence that followed, and the glare that suddenly marred her lovely features: Maleficent was not pleased by this turn of events.

Diaval shifted from foot to foot nervously. "You're pissed, aren't you?"

She glowered for a few minutes more. "Yes. But mostly because that bastard didn't have the decency to say something at the meeting today, because now this is going to make things incredibly awkward for _my _love life."

"Not necessarily," he took a cautious step forward. "We've been opposing counsel before."

"_Before_ we were involved."

"Well yes, but…" he rubbed at the back of his neck, a nervous habit she had noticed early on in their relationship. "Look, our clients may not be civil with each other, but that doesn't mean _we_ have to get nasty. We're good at our job and we're good with each other. I think we can do this."

She arched an eyebrow skeptically. "You're certain?"

He nodded, and then reached out and took her hands between his. "Who knows…maybe if we're in this together we can make them see reason."

She could never quite fathom where he constantly got his positive nature from, but then: his optimism was one of the many reasons she loved him so much. "All right, but consider the subject dropped for the evening though because right now: I want to think about anything _other _than my job."

Diaval smirked and leaned forward. "Then let's start by getting you out of these clothes, shall we?"

Her expression mirrored his, and she bridged the space between them, claiming his lips in a fervent kiss that told him just how much she liked his line of thought.

He drew her towards him, his skilled fingers attacking the buttons to her blouse, undoing them one-by-one until he could part the black silk over her shoulders and slide it down her arms.

She shivered as cool air hit her bare skin, curling closer as he drew the zipper of her pencil skirt down.

Soon she was in nothing but her underwear, and then that hit the floor as she divested him of his robe.

Once they were both naked, he wasted little time in scooping her up in his arms, carrying her the short distance to the tub and depositing her into the warm water.

The bath hadn't filled entirely yet, so she took a few moments to pour some vanilla scented bubble bath under the running water, and watched as the bubbles began to surface.

Diaval climbed in and drew her back against him, his hands settling on her shoulders before beginning a gentle massage.

She leaned back into his arms, enjoying the pampering as he placed a brief kiss to her nape and then focused on helping her forget her worries.

* * *

><p>After their bath, Diaval told Maleficent to wear something comfortable and find something fun to watch, and it wasn't long before she wandered into the living room wearing yoga pants, a Sailor Moon tee-shirt, and carrying a copy of <em>Thor<em>.

He smiled as he came out of the kitchen, carrying two plates piled high with just-warmed chow-mien and pot stickers. "Good choice."

"It has action for you and gorgeous men for me," she teased, accepting the plates as he ran back to the kitchen to grab two beers to go with their meal.

He chuckled softly and sat down beside her. "Hey now, it also has attractive women."

"True," she started up the movie and dug in to her noodles.

Diaval tugged her close to his side, and for a while it was quiet as they enjoyed their food and the movie.

* * *

><p>It never took long for their attention to stray. One minute: they were watching two Norse gods fighting on screen, and the next they were in the middle of a very heated make-out session on the couch.<p>

Maleficent managed to gather her senses long enough to pull away, shut the movie down, and then mutter "bedroom" into Diaval's ear so he understood just how she wanted their evening to conclude.

She felt him smirk against her neck, where his lips had just gained purchase, and then she was swept up in his arms and carried off.

They sank back together on her bed, embracing wildly as desire took over, their clothes forming a pile on the floor until it was skin against skin.

Her head fell back, a low moan escaping as Diaval pressed soft kisses along the column of her throat, his long fingers skimming over the curve of her hip to pull her as close as possible.

He was an incredibly attentive lover: always taking his time to ensure that every inch of her skin was worshipped.

She retaliated with explorations of her own, her touch lingering over each scar that she discovered on his otherwise soft, warm skin.

She hissed when he nipped at the sensitive junction between her neck and shoulder, her entire body arching towards his on instinct.

He locked eyes with her briefly to ask permission, though by this point he didn't really need to (but she was touched that he continued every time they made love), and after she nodded, he joined them together in a fluid motion.

She wrapped her legs around his waist to encourage the motion of their bodies, and then everything ceased to exist save for the pleasure that they shared.

* * *

><p>"Do you really think we can do this?" Maleficent whispered, hours later while they were recuperating from several bouts of love-making.<p>

Diaval twisted onto his side so he could face her, reaching out and curling a lock of her hair around his index finger. "By _this_ do you mean us or the case?"

"The case, idiot," she slapped halfheartedly at his chest.

He smiled and tugged her body up against his. "Yes. I think we're unstoppable when we're together."

She searched his gaze, her heart skipping when she realized just how much he believed in the two of them.

Tenderly, she framed his face between her hands, leaned in, and kissed him.

As far as the rest was concerned: for now, nothing more needed to be said.


	7. Complications

Author's note: I apologize profusely for taking so long to update this. My life has gotten really hectic lately, so there wasn't as much time to devote to fic writing (also I was generally exhausted and lacking inspiration). Hopefully I'll go back to normal updating mode soon. For now, I hope you enjoy the new chapter.

* * *

><p><span>Part Seven ~ Complications<span>

"We…are fucked."

It was unlike Maleficent to use such a vulgar expression, but considering their current predicament, Diaval didn't blame her one bit.

"Yep." He didn't bother with attempting to see a bright side and instead focused on the premiere episode of _Doctor Who_, which they were both watching.

With a frustrated moan, his girlfriend sank further into the couch cushions. "How are we going to handle this mess we've gotten ourselves into, babe?"

He didn't take his eyes off the TV, but reached out, placed a comforting hand on her knee, and squeezed lightly. "Since we're getting nowhere with trying to start a discussion between them: we'll have to approach them separately and ask how they want to handle this."

She grimaced, but as usual: Diaval was right on point. "All right. I'll invite Belle out for lunch. A friendly setting might work better than meeting at the office."

"And I'll take Jones out for a drink." He didn't sound pleased at the idea, but she knew it would probably do the trick. "That should loosen him up a bit."

"Sounds like a plan," she sighed and curled closer to him, her attention shifting to the action that was playing out on the flat screen.

It went silent for a little bit as they focused on the show, but when commercials began playing, Diaval turned to look at her. "After this case is over: I want to take you somewhere."

She faced him, curiosity crossing her lovely face. "Take me somewhere?"

"Yes. As in a vacation. I think we're going to need one when this is done."

Her breath caught in her throat as she found herself at a loss for words. Their relationship was not one of strict definitions, but taking a trip together: that was definitely a sign that they were getting quite serious.

"Where do you want to go?" She finally asked when her mind stopped racing long enough to form a coherent sentence.

"Hawaii would be nice."

Her expression turned warm and she tugged him forward by the collar, kissing him soundly to express her approval at his plan.

* * *

><p>Before they could go running off to an island paradise, however: they needed to get things settled between their clients, so the following week: Maleficent scheduled a lunch date with Belle and Diaval organized a casual meeting at a local pub with Killian.<p>

"Thank you for agreeing to this," Maleficent stated as she and Belle sat down at the table of the café the fashion designer had chosen for their lunch meeting.

"Considering that the "negotiations" are getting nowhere when we meet at the office, I wasn't exactly surprised when you suggested a one-on-one." Belle admitted.

"Yes. Your husband brings out an interesting side in you."

"That's a delicate way of putting put it. Let's face it: the man makes me bat-shit crazy."

Maleficent couldn't help the laugh that escaped her at Belle's blunt explanation. "I've spent enough time with him to agree with you completely."

"Yeah…I'm sorry for the trouble we've been causing at any rate. It must be driving you insane."

"My co-counsel isn't faring any better," Maleficent confessed, grabbing the menu and perusing over the options as she took a sip of water.

"My eventual ex-husband certainly isn't making it easier for Mr. Corbeau," Belle agreed.

Maleficent smirked, though Belle couldn't see it, and thought briefly of just how frustrated her lover had become by his client. "I'm sure that's the case…now: you've got my full attention, Belle, so why don't you tell me how you want to proceed?"

* * *

><p>"I don't know where it all went wrong, mate," Killian Jones mumbled into his fourth glass of whiskey as he and Diaval sat, side-by-side, at the bar of the Irish pub that the lawyer had suggested for their meeting place. "We used to be <em>crazy<em> about each other."

_That doesn't exactly excuse all the lying and cheating, _Diaval thought wryly as he wisely nursed his beer. "Sometimes being in love just isn't enough, I guess."

The rock-star glanced in his direction. "Have you ever been in love, Corbeau?"

Diaval nearly choked on his drink. "What?"

"It's a simple question," Killian shrugged.

Diaval smoothed back his hair with one hand and pondered on what the best answer would be.

The simple response was: _Yes._

The problem, however, was that he and Maleficent had agreed to keep the true nature of their relationship secret from their clients.

"It's complicated," he finally stated. "I'm involved with someone but I'm not entirely sure what the future holds. We're taking it day by day."

"Well do yourself a favor: get out before it gets serious. It'll save you a lot of grief later," the musician's tone was extremely bitter, which caused Diaval to arch an eyebrow.

"You're still in love with Belle, aren't you?"

"I never _stopped_ loving her. That was never our problem. Fame is what did us in…" Killian sighed and gulped down the remnants of his drink.

* * *

><p>Across town, Belle was lamenting in a similar fashion. "At some point…being with Killian became more of a chore than anything else. Don't get me wrong: he was my first love, and he'll always be special to me, but I just can't take the marriage part anymore. It's supposed to be for better or worse, and lately all it's become is the "worse" part."<p>

Despite the fact that she had heard similar tales from other clients over the years, the sadness in Belle's tone made Maleficent's heart clench.

"I've seen many marriages fall apart, Belle. And there are times when I just want to shake both parties by the shoulders and tell them to work their issues out, but…I think with you and Killian that's a moot point by now."

Belle let out a humorless chuckle. "You know what the funny part of all this is? For all our fighting and accusations at each other: I don't really want him to suffer."

"Then what _do_ you want from him Belle?"

The designer sighed and settled back in her chair. "I don't need his money. I make a good living on my own…but there's one piece of property that I would love to get my hands on."

"And what's that?"

* * *

><p>"There's this castle, in Ireland, where I proposed to Belle," Killian explained to Diaval. "We bought it not long after we got married. Honestly, the woman can have whatever she wants if she's willing to sign it over to me."<p>

"You're going to have to make a better case than a simple "I want it," Killian," the lawyer warned.

"Would the fact that it was my idea to buy it mean anything?"

Diaval grinned at this. Finally: they were getting somewhere. "Yes. Yes it will."

* * *

><p>"So it was your idea to buy the castle then?" Maleficent confirmed.<p>

Belle nodded, her eyes bright at the prospect of something finally going in the right direction. "Yeah I called the realtor right away."

"Excellent," Maleficent jotted the information down on a notepad and then smiled in Belle's direction. "I'll discuss this with my co-counsel and hopefully we can reach an agreement quickly."

* * *

><p>When Diaval arrived at Maleficent's apartment that evening with dinner, he was in excellent spirits. "Baby! I have excellent news!"<p>

"So do I!" her tone was equally pleased, and when she emerged from the living room she was all smiles. "It looks like this might end amicably after all."

"It just might. Killian just wants the—

"Belle just wants the—

They froze at the exact same moment and stared at each other with growing horror.

"Please don't tell me…"

"That they both want that castle..."

Both lawyers lapsed into silence before cursing in unison.


	8. The Emerald Isle

Author's note: I sincerely hope it doesn't take me a month to update this fic again. It's been rather crazy lately and my inspiration was not cooperating at all. Anyway: enjoy the continued adventures of Diaval and Maleficent and stay tuned for more in the future!

* * *

><p><span>Part Eight ~ The Emerald Isle<span>

Diaval winced as the child in the row behind his repeatedly kicked at his seat. "I'm starting to understand your issues with flying," he muttered to his girlfriend, who looked just as frustrated as he did.

The first three hours of the flight to Ireland had been anything but comfortable since, to save money, they had (perhaps foolishly) decided to fly economy class.

They still had _another_ three hours to go.

It was bad enough that the rows were crowded and there was little to offer in the way of leg room, but as additional torture: they had been seated right in front of a family that had two toddlers.

"Remind me again why you want one of those?" Maleficent gestured behind them at the two rambunctious children, who couldn't keep still no matter what their parents tried.

"I certainly don't want _those_," he grumbled, but turned to look at her. "But a breed of child someday might be interesting."

The lawyer let out a short bark of a laugh. "Did you really just paraphrase Jurassic Park at me?"

"Anything to lighten the mood," he admitted, struggling to find some form of comfort in chairs clearly designed to make the passengers want to get off the plane as quickly as possible.

Touched by the effort, Maleficent reached out and squeezed his hand tenderly.

His heart skipped a beat at the gesture, particularly because she rarely showed such open affection in public. Gently, he raised her hand to his lips and bestowed a kiss on her knuckles.

She smiled warmly, and was about to change the subject when turbulence suddenly rocked the plane.

Immediately, Maleficent's already pale countenance went white as a sheet and her grip on Diaval's hand became vice-like.

He swallowed a yelp of pain and endured it until the plane evened out and his lover relaxed slightly.

She gave him an apologetic glance. "I should get you some ice the next time the stewardess comes around."

"We should get enough so we can dump the excess over the heads of the brats behind us," he smirked despite his discomfort.

"You plot our revenge. I'm gonna try to take a nap," she settled back in her chair, dimmed the lights above her head, and then shut her eyes.

"Good luck," she heard Diaval whisper, and then she felt his lips press sweetly to her cheek, which caused her to smile before, miraculously, she began to drift off.

* * *

><p>She was woken a while later by the soft, pleasant pressure of Diaval's lips against hers and the gentle carding of his fingers through her hair.<p>

Slowly, Maleficent blinked her eyes open to find her boyfriend smiling lovingly in her direction. "Hey there, Sleeping Beauty."

Carefully, the attorney sat up, stretching as best she could in the limited space they had. "How long have I been out?"

"Roughly two and a half hours. I figured you'd want to be awake when it was time to land."

She nodded gratefully and glanced behind them to notice that, for once, it was blissfully quiet as the children who had been obnoxious for the entire trip had finally quieted down. "Did a miracle happen?" she whispered.

Diaval just grinned. "A miracle that involved motion sickness pills to put them to sleep and keep unfortunate accidents from occurring. I might have made a suggestion to their parents."

"A smart suggestion," relaxing, she resituated the chair and made sure that her seat belt was properly fastened.

He reached out and laced his fingers with hers, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze right as the plane began to descend.

Maleficent gulped, but did her best not to break her beloved's hand in the process of the plane landing safely.

* * *

><p>To be perfectly fair: it was called the Emerald Isle for a good reason. Maleficent had never seen quite so much <em>green<em> before.

There was an idyllic, fairy-tale quality to the countryside: as it if had somehow frozen in time as the world went on around it.

She settled back in the passenger seat of the rental car Diaval had acquired and turned to watch him as he drove with the expertise expected of one who had been born and raised in the place.

His handsome features were set in concentration and Maleficent could tell that he was trying to think of anything but old memories.

She knew it was a touchy issue, but she couldn't help being curious, so she decided to broach the subject as gently as possible. "How long has it been?"

He blinked but didn't take his eyes off the road. "Since what?"

"Since you've been home?"

"About fifteen years," he replied, his voice quiet.

"Hasn't your family missed you?"

"The only family I have left is my sister and she's content in California."

"So your parents…"

"Died in a car accident when I was fifteen. I was left to care for Rhiannon till she came of age, and then we both decided to move to America to go to university and start over."

Maleficent had suspected that his history was not all rainbows and sunshine, but the clipped tone with which he spoke alerted her to just how deeply it had affected him.

Without another word, she leaned in and pressed a brief kiss to his cheek. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't' have asked."

Despite the melancholy in his eyes, he managed a smile. "Then you wouldn't be who you are, love."

She decided to steer the conversation to less sensitive territory. "Well…let's just focus on the task at hand, okay? The sooner we get through this, the quicker we can get home and start planning a proper vacation: one that involves an island and tropical temperatures and drinks with little umbrellas in them."

His entire demeanor brightened. "And you in a bikini?" his tone was now hopeful.

Maleficent smirked. "If you're good."

* * *

><p>The rest of the drive was pleasant as they discussed their future plans and fell into their familiar banter.<p>

They both gaped in awe, however, once they pulled up into the driveway of the castle that Belle and Killian seemed determined to _kill_ each other for.

"Holy shit…" Diaval muttered. "Did Belle tell you it was like something out of a Disney film?"

"Screw our clients…I want it," Maleficent muttered, which caused her fellow attorney to chuckle as he parked and walked around to help her out of the car.

They walked up to the front door, which was gigantic, and then knocked rather loudly, as they weren't certain how long it would take a member of the staff to reach them.

Only a few minutes later, the door swung open and they were face-to-face with an older, pleasant looking woman. "May I help you?"

They spoke in unison, which resulted in a bunch of garbled messages that somehow the woman found a way to decipher.

"Ah. You must be the lawyers, then?"

Diaval smiled and nodded, while Maleficent replied. "Yes. We are. I'm Maleficent Maurum and this is my associate: Diaval Corbeau."

The woman smiled back and then pushed the door fully open to escort them inside. "Welcome to Ireland. I'm Mrs. O'Callaghan. My husband and I are the head of the household here at the manor. If you'll follow me, I'll show you to your rooms."

The couple exchanged a brief glance with each other before following Mrs. O'Callaghan inside.

* * *

><p>After settling in, Diaval and Maleficent spent the bulk of the afternoon starting their interviews with the staff.<p>

The sun outside was beginning to set when they finally crossed paths again.

"So far, they all agree with me," he remarked as he started down the staircase that she was climbing.

"Me too."

They both stopped in their tracks and looked at each other before letting out simultaneous groans of frustration.

"Why can nothing be easy with this case?" he grumbled.

"Because someone in the universe hates us…" she growled.

He gave her a sympathetic look before turning around, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, and guiding her down the stairs with him. "Well, it's too late to try to interview everyone again, so why don't we ask Mr. O'Callaghan where the closest pub is and get some dinner?"

Despite her irritation, she smiled and leaned against his shoulder. "As long as they've got Guinness, I'm game."

"A woman after my own heart," Diaval laughed softly, and then pressed his lips to her temple before, together: they set off to find the estate's main caretaker.


	9. A Romantic Legend

Author's note: Nothing like having the blu-ray of the movie released kicking your muses into action again, eh? I hope you enjoy this very fluffy, sweet chapter. There's a lot going on right now so I'm not sure when the next update will be but I am hoping to finish this story before the year is out *crosses fingers*. We shall see!

* * *

><p><span>Part Nine ~ A Romantic Legend<span>

"You know, Mrs. O'Callaghan, this wasn't necessary," Maleficent protested as the older woman served her a large, delicious-smelling portion of stew. "We could have gone into town to get something. Even a local McDonalds would have been fine to us," she gestured at herself and Diaval.

Her boyfriend, however, wasted no time into digging into the meal. "Stop complaining and eat, love."

Mrs. O'Callaghan just chuckled and brought over a loaf of soda bread to accompany the meal. "It's no trouble dear. I had this simmering on the stove since earlier this afternoon, as I knew the two of you would be joining us."

"It's delicious," Diaval mumbled around a mouthful.

Maleficent arched an eyebrow at her lover's lack of table manners, but her stomach grumbling finally prompted her to take a bite.

Her eyes widened in delight as the pleasant taste hit her tongue. "This is amazing!" She reached out to cut a slice of bread, dipping it into the broth before bringing it to her mouth.

The combination was perfect, and she moaned happily before spooning up some more of the beef and potatoes.

Diaval couldn't help grinning as he watched his girlfriend enjoy the food. "Homemade stew is pretty much a staple around here. Although my mother preferred to make hers with lamb if she could afford it."

"Ah, I haven't had lamb stew in a good while," Mrs. O'Callaghan returned to the table with two glasses of Guinness. "Is your mother from further north on the island?" she looked at Diaval curiously.

"She was. She's been dead for several years now," he admitted.

"Oh I'm so sorry, dear." The caretaker's eyes were full of sympathy.

Diaval managed a small smile. "So am I,"

Maleficent reached for his hand under the table; he didn't hesitate in entwining their fingers together, offering her a grateful look at the gesture.

"So…" Mrs. O'Callaghan sat down next to Maleficent and scooped up her own serving of the stew. "How long have the two of you been together?"

The couple choked on their drinks in unison.

"I'm sorry?" Maleficent stammered.

"How did you _know_?!" Diaval's response was slightly less cryptic, and earned a glare from his beloved.

"It wasn't that difficult to tell, honestly. You tend to act like a married couple," Mrs. O'Callaghan smirked. "Also I figure this one," she gestured at Diaval, "wasn't one to throw around endearments like "love" so casually."

"True enough," Maleficent agreed, dabbing at her mouth daintily with a napkin. "I trust you can keep this a secret from the rest of the staff? Being on the same case is already complicated enough as it is."

"My lips are sealed." Their companion promised, grabbing a slice of bread.

It was silent for a while as all three dined.

Once they were done, Mrs. O'Callaghan gathered up the dishes and set about cleaning them, despite Diaval and Maleficent's protests to help.

"Now dears, I can handle this just fine. You two should get some rest. The staff will only be here in the morning and early afternoon, before they head into town for the festival, so you'll want to be up early to get those interviews done."

"I'm sorry; did you say they'd be going to a festival?" Maleficent inquired.

"It's quite common in small towns," Diaval explained. "I'm guessing there's some legend associated with the celebration."

"Right you are," Mrs. O'Callaghan glanced over her shoulder with a knowing smile. "And it's quite the romantic tale, if you two are interested in hearing it."

Diaval eyed Maleficent. "Well…we _are_ in a fairy tale setting, aren't we?"

* * *

><p>A short time later, Mrs. O'Callaghan, carrying a tray with three mugs of tea and a plate of shortbread cookies, ushered Maleficent and Diaval into the castle library.<p>

"There are many legends associated with the towns surrounding this castle," the caretaker began. "But the festival which takes place tomorrow celebrates one of the oldest. You see, this land was once the home to the fair folk."

"Fairies," Diaval supplied when a skeptical look crossed his love's face.

Maleficent couldn't help the scoff that escaped her. "There's no such thing."

Mrs. O'Callaghan didn't appear the least bit surprised by her reaction. "It's because people stopped believing in them that they eventually ceased to exist, some say. But when they did live among us: they loved nothing more than spending time with humans. Which brings me to the legend: many years ago, when this land was still young, a fae prince fell in love with a human woman. She was a commoner, the daughter of a grain merchant, but it was her kind heart, along with her beauty, that won the prince's heart. However: such a union was forbidden by his family, so he went to a sorcerer to find a way for them to be together."

"Never trust sorcerers," Diaval chimed in. "They're tricky bastards."

Maleficent chuckled softly and leaned against his shoulder. "So? Did the sorcerer help them or not?"

"He did. The prince gave up his immortality in return for a human life with his love. They were married the next day, and they had many long, happy years together. The day of their union is honored with the festival I spoke of. It's a grand celebration: the two of you should go after you've completed your work for the day."

"It'll take some twisting of this one's arm," Diaval admitted, laughing when Maleficent playfully swatted at him.

"You make me sound like I don't like to have fun at _all_!"

He just shook his head and touched his lips to her forehead. "We'll consider it. Thank you for dinner and the tea, Mrs. O'Callaghan. I think it's time that we retired. I can feel the jet-lag catching up with me."

"Yes, of course. Have a good night, you two." Mrs. O'Callaghan smiled sweetly and gathered the tea mugs before heading back to the kitchen to finish cleaning up for the night.

* * *

><p>Once the caretaker was completely out of view, Diaval startled Maleficent by suddenly scooping her up in his arms and carrying her, bridal-style, up the stairs.<p>

"Just what do you think you're doing?!" She inquired as he kicked the door to her bedroom open.

"That story brought out the romantic side in me. Besides: how often do you get to proclaim that you've made love to your girlfriend in an actual _castle_?"

Maleficent bit back a laugh as he deposited her on the bed and wasted no time in crawling up beside her. "So the jet-lag thing was an excuse, was it?"

He paused in the middle of undoing the buttons to her blouse and aimed a sheepish look at her. "Well, not entirely. If I pass out in you in the middle, you won't kill me, right?"

He was rewarded with an eye-roll and a light slap across his arm, but then she was dragging him towards her for a searing kiss and all other thoughts were forgotten for a while.


	10. Author's Note

Happy Holidays to my lovely readers!

Sadly: I have no new chapter to share with you yet. I apologize for the delay on updating this fic. The end of the year is always terribly busy for me, particularly since this year I went away on a birthday trip at the beginning of December. Between lots of activity and lack of time and inspiration, I simply haven't had a chance to figure out how I want to finish this story to my satisfaction. HOWEVER: I fully intend to complete it, so once the new year comes around I will get back to it asap.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I look forward to sharing the rest of this fic with you soon.

-WolfenQueenYuri


	11. The Life of the Party

Author's note: Look who *finally* managed to update this thing! I apologize for the long wait. I've always been better with one-shots than longer pieces, but I'm determined to finish this thing. In fact I think I'll be able to wrap it up in a couple more chapters. I can't guarantee when those updates will happen though, as I've got lots going on right now. At any rate: enjoy the new chapter and the fluff between these two cuties before things get complicated…again.

* * *

><p><span>Part Ten ~ The Life of the Party<span>

The morning brought with it warm sunshine and the annoyingly cheerful sound of birdsong.

Still exhausted from the flight the day before, Maleficent's response was to groan loudly and bury her head under her pillow.

She heard Diaval grumble: "How can anything be that happy this early in the day?"

"I don't know, but I'm ten seconds away from grabbing a shotgun."

He laughed softly at her response, and then she heard the rustle of sheets as he turned towards her.

Slowly, he ran one finger up the curve of her spine, causing her to shiver at the contact.

She peeked out from under the pillow, and her heart fluttered at the sight of him propped up on his elbow, his dark hair hopelessly tousled and the crisp white sheets of the bed pooled around his waist.

He smiled warmly. "Good morning."

She smiled back despite her fatigue, and then leaned up to press her lips to his.

The next thing she knew: he twisted, effectively pinning her against the pillows as the embrace deepened, and they spent the next few minutes properly greeting each other.

He pulled back for air first, nuzzling his nose to hers. "I could get used to this."

"What: get used to staying in a castle with servants your beck and call?" She teased, nuzzling back.

"No, waking up with you." He replied, entirely serious.

Her breath caught in her throat at the expression on his handsome face. "Diaval…just what are you trying to suggest here?"

"When we get home…I want to move in with you. If that's okay, of course."

Truth be told: he practically lived at her apartment anyway, but that didn't make the request any less surprising.

She gazed back at him for a few moments, entirely silent as she contemplated the best answer. "Is…is that what you really want? I'm not the easiest person to live with, I have my routine and…"

He shushed her by placing a finger over her lips. "I'm well aware, as I spend most of my time at your place."

It was a big step, but one that she decided she was willing to finally take. She reached up and brushed a lock of hair that was falling into his eyes back, tucking it over his ear before taking a deep breath and replying: "Okay."

"Okay as in yes?" he inquired.

Maleficent nodded. "Yes. I want you to move in."

Diaval broke into a bright, almost blinding grin, and he claimed her mouth with his in another fervent kiss to express how much joy he felt.

They sank back into the pillows, fully intent on celebrating, when there was a polite knock at the door.

Reluctantly, they pulled back, and Diaval called out: "Yes?"

Mrs. O'Callaghan poked her head into the room, and didn't appear in the least bit surprised or embarrassed to find them in their current state. (Maleficent wondered just how often the poor caretaker had stumbled across Belle and Killian in flagrante). "So sorry to interrupt you, but if you want to get those interviews done before the staff takes off for the day, you should get a move on."

"You're quite right. Thank you Mrs. O'Callaghan, we'll be downstairs shortly." Maleficent informed.

Mrs. O'Callaghan smiled apologetically, but then ducked back into the hallway to give the couple their privacy so they could get ready for the day.

With a frustrated sigh, Diaval shoved back the covers and then dragged his girlfriend to her feet, "Shower?"

"Shower. Then breakfast. Then we'll interview everyone together so we don't have a repeat performance of yesterday." She grabbed the pair of bathrobes that had been left for them in the room, wrapping one around her body and handing one to her lover so he could do the same.

"Right." He sighed again, quickly tying the sash, and then guiding her towards the bathroom so that they could prepare for the day ahead.

* * *

><p>Luckily, the joint interview process worked in their favor in terms of time: they managed to be done with talking to all the staff members before they were let off for the afternoon.<p>

Less fortunately: they didn't attain much new information, which lead the pair of lawyers to believe that _nobody_ actually knew whose idea it was to buy the castle.

Frustrated, and with nothing more to do regarding the case— Diaval and Maleficent eventually found themselves at a nearby pub, drowning their irritation in pints of Guinness while watching the townsfolk celebrate their local romantic legend.

* * *

><p>"I wonder if we're the only people in town <em>not<em> in a festive mood," Maleficent whispered, watching as a rather amorous couple passed by the two of them, giggling and exchanging kisses as they went.

"Well there's an easy way to remedy that," Diaval replied before standing and holding out his hand to her.

She arched an eyebrow and looked up at him. "What are you doing?"

"We're in a land known for its music just as much as it's myth, so come on: let's dance." He gestured at the people out on the dance floor, currently involved in something that reminded Maleficent of her very brief attempt at watching Riverdance.

She looked at the dancers, then at her boyfriend, and then back out at the dancefloor before shaking her head rapidly. "Nuh-uh."

"This time, I'm not taking no for an answer," he hauled her up by the arm and began dragging her towards the dance.

"Diaval wait! I don't even know the steps. I've never danced to this kind of music!" She struggled to find an excuse that he would accept.

"Then, I'll teach you," he twirled her around so that she was facing him. "Mal…you just need to loosen up a bit. We're off duty, remember?" His tone softened, and there was a tender look in his eyes that reminded her that _this_ man would never do anything to make her uncomfortable.

It was due to her ex-boyfriend that she was often reluctant to try new things, but thanks to the time spent with Diaval – and some gentle coaxing on his behalf – she found herself growing more and more open to the concept of the unfamiliar.

So, swallowing her nerves, Maleficent allowed Diaval to show her the steps to the dance.

Before long, she forgot about how silly they probably looked, because all that mattered to her was how happy he was.

His eyes were lit up with delight, and the huge, infectious smile on his face only reminded her of how much she really loved him.

Eventually the style of music changed: an enchanting love song replacing the fast-paced jig and allowing them to catch their breath.

She rested her head against his chest, his arms enveloping her as they swayed together in time to the song, which was being sung in Gaelic.

"What's she singing?" she asked, tilting her chin back so she could gaze into his eyes.

"It's a wedding song," he explained.

"Oh, really? Appropriate for the festival, then."

He chuckled and dipped his head towards hers, kissing her lightly before continuing: "She's singing of her joy at marrying the man she loves, and how she looks forward to the life they'll share together."

"Even though it's a life that's cost him his magic and his immortality?"

"So you _were_ paying attention to the story last night!"

"Well just because I don't necessarily believe in such things doesn't mean that I can't find them interesting," she admitted.

He smiled warmly, resting his forehead against hers as they continued their slow-dance. "Yet another thing that I love about you."

She smiled in return and nuzzled his nose with hers, content with simply enjoying their time together.

* * *

><p>The remainder of the evening went by in the blur, as they involved themselves with plenty of dancing, drinking, and games.<p>

By the time they were ready to return to the estate, Maleficent was drunk to the point where she could barely walk, and Diaval wasn't faring much better.

"I think—whoa!" Stumbling in the high heeled-boots that she had (perhaps foolishly) chosen to wear, the lawyer righted herself and burst into laughter. "Th– that we should call it a night," she giggled, propped up against her boyfriend for balance.

"I agree…" he attempted to stand straight, nearly keeling over in the process. "Although maybe we should wait till the room stops spinning."

"Wise idea. Besides: the ceremony's about to begin," she gestured towards the crowd gathered in front of them.

They sat down, and Maleficent slid closer to Diaval. Together, they watched as a young woman was walked up an aisle covered in white rose petals by an older man that she assumed was the girl's father.

There was a man roughly the same age as the girl waiting for her at an altar, and a much older man standing in the center, dressed as a priest.

When the couple was ready, the priest began to officiate their wedding, which prompted Maleficent to whisper into her companion's ear: "Is this symbolic or for real?"

"For real, I believe," Diaval whispered back, his eyes catching hers. "Romantic, isn't it?"

Despite her inebriated state, her heart skipped madly in her chest. "Can anyone go up there?"

"I think so."

"Maybe we should."

He gave her a skeptical look. "You're drunk. And joking."

She couldn't help the giggle that escaped at his response. "Just checking how alert you really are." And with that, she rested her head on her lover's shoulder, dropping the subject for the time being.

* * *

><p>Little did the attorney realize: the very subject of marriage was about to alter their lives entirely.<p> 


	12. For Better and For Worse

Author's note: So I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that this is the final chapter of this saga (which took longer to get down on paper than I intended but life and other fandoms got in the way). The good news is that it's not techincally the "end", as I want to write an epilogue involving these two cuties. However, I will say that this will be my final outing, at this time, with the pairing. I'm not saying I won't ever revisit them again, but I feel like I've done enough for the time being. I hope those of you who have patiently waited for this part to be published enjoy it, and I'll try to get that epilogue done as soon as possible! (Oh and the mention of Regina and Aiden is in reference to all my Golden Queen fic for Once Upon a Time. I might incorperate them into the epilogue if I feel so inclined)

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><p><span>Part Eleven: For Better and For Worse<span>

Maleficent woke up the next morning with a sense of unease and a killer hangover, which did little to help the twist in her stomach when she attempted to sit up.

She groaned softly and tried again, this time managing to lay back against the pillows of the bed as she placed on hand over her face and endeavored to make sense of the fog that was currently invading her brain.

She could recall bits and pieces: the fact that she and Diaval had gone into town the night before, to a local pub, and joined in the celebration there, but she couldn't dredge up the exact details.

With a frustrated moan, she rubbed over her face with her hands and that was when she noticed something…_odd_.

She opened her eyes and pulled her left hand away from her face, noticing for the first time that there was a ring placed on her finger.

It was such a tiny, innocuous thing: comprised of faux pearls and a bit of elastic – cereal box jewelry at best – but it was enough to have her memories of the previous night come crashing back ten-fold.

There had been a ceremony, and for some reason she vaguely remembered rose-petals, but the clearest picture she had was of Diaval's charming smile right before a pastor announced them as man and wife.

_Shit. _Maleficent glanced down and noticed Diaval's sleeping form, and an identical ring on his left hand.

_Shit. Shit. SHIT._ The attorney scrambled out of bed, dragging the comforter with her in an effort to preserve whatever dignity she had left, and shouted in her lover's direction: "Wake up! Wake up NOW!"

Diaval shot up immediately, his hair a complete mess and his eyes wide as he glanced wildly around the room, until his gaze fell upon her and he relaxed, smiling lopsidedly. "Good morning."

"It is most certainly not a good morning!"

His eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong love?"

"Will you look at your hand? Please?!" she gestured dramatically, which prompted him to look down.

He spotted the ring and inspected it for a moment. "Oh. Well that's interesting."

"Really?" her tone shifted to a higher pitch as she glowered in his direction. "That's the best you can come up with: that's _interesting_?!"

"…not as interesting as the fact that you have one too."

Maleficent swallowed and attempted to take a calming breath before voicing the question that currently filled her with dread. "Diaval…did we get married last night?"

He was silent for a long beat before replying: "It would appear so."

The room went eerily quiet as they stared at one another, neither wanting to be the first to speak again, but eventually the crestfallen expression on Maleficent's face prompted Diaval to note, quietly: "You're not happy."

"Do I _look_ happy?" she groaned and sat on the edge of bed, head bowed.

Tentatively, he inched closer. "I'm sure we can find the priest and get it annulled. Especially since neither of us was in our right minds last night."

She glanced over at him, and her heart nearly dropped into her stomach when she saw that he looked as upset as she did, though she could tell it was for an entirely different reason.

"Diaval…I didn't mean that I was unhappy to be married to _you,_" she reached out and placed her hand over his, stroking along his skin lightly. "But not like this. Surely you can understand that."

"I do," he nodded, bringing his fingers up to her cheek, letting them linger for a moment before allowing them to fall. "We'll get it straightened out, I promise."

Smiling, she wrapped her arms around his neck and touched her forehead to his, nuzzling his nose with hers before whispering. "I'll hold you to that promise."

He tugged her closer and kissed her sweetly to assure her that everything would be fine.

* * *

><p>After a shower, breakfast, and some much-needed aspirin, Maleficent was in a slightly less dour mood. However that mood spiraled downwards once again after she and Diaval spent a good portion of the day trying to locate the priest who had married them the night before, to no luck.<p>

In fact: the entire town was practically dormant, and it was well into the afternoon before the couple found someone who could explain why.

Apparently the local holiday was not all that different to ones held in the U.S, (meaning that institutions such as banks and schools would close); but seeing as it was a small town, it made more sense for almost _everything_ to shut down for the day.

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><p>"It just figures…" Maleficent groaned loudly as she plopped, with little grace, onto a couch once they returned to the manor. "The whole town is empty the day we actually <em>need<em> help."

Diaval sank down next to her. "And we're catching a flight back to the states tonight, which means that we have to deal with this quietly once we get back home. Never an easy thing."

"Well, it will be easier dealing with it together," she admitted, curling up against his side and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Should we tell anyone? Or should we just find a discreet attorney who will annul it the instant we're able?" he glanced down at her.

"You and I both know that if a word is breathed to Aurora, it will be all over the evening news in ten seconds."

"True enough. All right: what's the plan then?"

"Why do I always make the plans?" she looked up at him, annoyance evident on her lovely features.

Diaval smirked and kissed the tip of her nose. "Because you're so good at them. And also because you're a control freak so even if I _did_ make plans, you'd alter them."

"I don't know how you put up with me," she shook her head, amused.

"Oh it's probably because I love you so much."

Her heart fluttered, and she leaned in to kiss him languidly, her fingers carding through his hair.

They stayed like that for a few minutes before he pulled back and touched his forehead to hers. "The plan, Mal?"

She chuckled. "Right. Well, we fly home, and then we should visit Killian and Belle to let them know that basically: they're screwed when it comes to reaching an agreement on this castle due to the paperwork. I'm going to advise that they sell it and split the profits instead of turning this into more of a mess than it already is, but I doubt they'll listen to me so maybe you'll have better luck."

He snorted in disdain. "I sincerely doubt it, but I'll try."

"Good luck with that. Once we're through there, I'll call in a favor from a friend of mine. She owes me."

"Would that friend be Regina Gold?"

"…yes…how did you—

"Her husband was one of my college professors."

"I keep forgetting that Aiden taught for a while," Maleficent mused. "Anyway: Regina owes me a favor so I'm sure she'll help us out."

Diaval nodded and leaned back into the couch. "I guess all that's left to do then is pack."

"Yes, but first," she crawled onto his lap and framed his face between her hands. "I think another kiss is in order."

"For someone so desperate to get an annulment, you certainly appear to be in love with your husband," Diaval teased, brushing his lips against hers.

"Well my love for my husband isn't the issue. And once we've gotten this mess straightened out and the case is over…I'm hoping you'll still be available for the position."

"Oh I'm pretty certain I will be," he muttered, before tugging her into a fervent kiss, which effectively ended that particular discussion.

* * *

><p>Two Days Later…<p>

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><p>Diaval went still, hand poised to knock on Belle's door, his eyebrows furrowing upon hearing the strange sounds coming from within. "Uh. Mal…does that sound like murder to you?"<p>

Maleficent, who had been hoping that the meeting would be brief, immediately pressed her ear against the door, her expression turning from one of mild concern to full-on-worry when a shrill scream pierced through the air. "Quick, knock the door down!"

"All right I admit that it was a bad idea to ask them to meet up in one place, but I didn't think they'd try to kill each other!" Diaval slammed his entire body against the door, though to no avail.

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Maleficent gestured for her husband to move to the side and managed to kick the door down (whether this was due to the boots she had chosen to wear or sheer force of will, she wasn't sure).

Neither was prepared for the scene that greeted them.

Blushing furiously and attempting to cover herself using a nearby blanket, Belle brushed tousled hair out of her eyes and cleared her throat. "Er. Hi guys. You're a little early aren't you?"

Killian didn't even attempt at being modest and propped himself up on one elbow, completely at ease in his nudity. "Also you owe my love for that door."

Diaval rubbed at the back of his neck, averting his eyes as he muttered: "We heard her scream."

"Well…yeah. Doesn't she?" Belle gestured at a rather livid-looking Maleficent.

Diaval took a step back out of instinct, fully prepared for the tirade that was about to take place.

"I cannot fucking believe you two!" the attorney finally exclaimed, her eyes flashing golden as she stalked forward towards the couple. "We just spent days in Ireland trying to figure out exactly what to do with this castle you're both so obsessed with, and then we come back and organize this meeting and come and find you like _this_?! What the HELL is it with you guys anyway: does the fighting count as foreplay?!"

Killian shrugged. "Maybe. We've always been pretty vocal towards one another, in and out of the bedroom."

"Look, Mal...You've been a wonderful lawyer, and so has Diaval from what Killian told me. When we met up here we realized that all that arguing—that _heat_, that passion –its part of why we fell in love in the first place." Belle explained.

"You said to me once, friend, that love is more often worth the fight. Did you not mean that?" Killian directed towards Diaval.

Still keeping his eyes carefully aimed at the ceiling, Diaval stated: "Yes, but you might have called us to save us the embarrassment of this situation."

"So, what, that's it then? All's well and you two go riding off into the sunset, while I have to get my marriage to the man I love _annulled_ because it was a drunken mistake at that stupid festival, and I'd rather start out our lives together with a proper ceremony and a white dress?!" Maleficent's ire over the situation had managed to loosen her tongue quite a bit.

Immediately, Belle shoved Killian back and wrapped the blanket around her like a make-shift dress, rising to her feet and rushing towards Maleficent to wrap her in a hug. "You got _married_? Oh my god, congratulations!"

"Wait…the festival? It wasn't the one celebrating the Fae prince and his human princess was it?" Killian finally had the decency to put on a pair of pants.

"It was, actually," Diaval informed, grateful that not quite so much skin was on display from the other couple.

The rock star burst into laughter. "Oh! Guys, those marriages aren't legal! They're just for show."

"Wait…what?" Maleficent's tone was flat.

"Yeah, you two aren't really married. But you should be, you make a perfect couple," Killian smiled.

After processing the information fully, Maleficent decided that the best "thank you" she could offer was a punch to Killian's jaw.

He stumbled back a few steps, though Belle caught him, throwing an apologetic look towards Diaval. "He still needs to learn to talk without his foot in his mouth."

"Mm…Mal, why don't we get going? It seems the last thing anyone wants here is a divorce lawyer." Diaval gripped his girlfriend around the arm and gently led her out the door.

* * *

><p>The journey home was silent, and Maleficent was still rife with tension once they arrived at her apartment.<p>

Partly in effort to calm her, and partly to comprise his own thoughts, Diaval immediately headed to the kitchen and prepared them both cups of tea.

When he came out, his love was sitting on the couch, her feet curled up under her legs as she hugged a pillow to her chest, her striking features lost in contemplation.

Silently, he approached and offered her the tea.

She looked up at him, her eyes boring into his. "I'm sorry you had to see me lose my temper like that."

Diaval smiled softly and sat next to her. "I didn't think you were that scary, love."

"Still, I behaved entirely unprofessionally. I blame the stress of the past week."

He chuckled and sipped at his tea. "I'm sure that had something to do with it, yes. However," he turned towards her. "There is one good thing that came out of it, at least."

"And what's that?" she arched an eyebrow.

"I now understand just how much it means to you that we get married properly…which means, that buying this was probably a better idea than I initially thought it was," Diaval slowly kneeled before her and pulled a small velvet box out of his pocket.

Immediately, Maleficent's eyes widened when he opened it to reveal a sparkling diamond ring. "When…when did you?"

"A few weeks before we went to Ireland. I was going to wait till your birthday but now I realize I don't want to waste another moment…" he took her hand within his, his eyes locking with hers right before he whispered: "Maleficent Maurum…will you marry me?"

"You mean; will I marry you again?" She couldn't help but tease, but the tears that sprung to her eyes were evidence of how moved she was.

"Well…will you?"

She grinned. "Yes. Yes of course!" and then she leapt forward, knocking him to the ground while claiming his mouth in a kiss that properly conveyed her elation.

Given the way that he kissed her back, Diaval was just as overjoyed.


	13. Epilogue

Author's note: My *sincere* apologies for taking so long to write this relatively short epilogue. Life got a little crazy because I moved, and then it took a while for my writing mojo to return. I'd like to express my thanks to everyone who's read, reviewed, and enjoyed this story. It was a lot of fun to pull together, and I will likely revisit this universe at some point in the future. It was also a joy to cross-over some of my favorite Once Upon a Time characters and pairings into this AU, so enjoy Regina's appearance and the references to Aiden if you're also a fan of my Golden Queen work ;)

With that: please enjoy the proper ending to this fic!

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><p><span>Epilogue<span>

There was no reason to be nervous, none at _all_. Yet that still didn't stop Maleficent from smoothing out the front of her gown for what had to be the millionth time, swallowing as she inspected her reflection.

"Relax, Mal…he's not going to run off after all you've been through," a pair of hands landed softly on her shoulders, and she twisted slightly to smile at her matron of honor: Regina Gold.

"You're right. I'm being silly, aren't I?"

Regina chuckled and shook her head. "You're just anxious. When Aiden and I tied the knot I practically raced down the aisle to get to him."

At that, Maleficent laughed softly. "I remember. And then during the reception it would have taken magic to pull the two of you apart."

Her fellow attorney blushed a bit at the memory. "Yeah well…he's the light of my life, what can I say?"

"Well, it shows when the two of you are together…so," taking a deep breath, Maleficent turned and faced her close friend. "Any advice for how to keep those sparks going?"

"Honestly? I'm not sure why we work so well, we just _do_." Regina shrugged, grabbing the bride's veil and placing it carefully on top of her head. "Oh…you look _**amazing**_," she gently turned Maleficent back towards the floor-length mirror in front of her.

Her breath caught in her throat as she realized her friend was right. Aurora had helped her choose the gown: a long sleeved, off-the-shoulder vision made of cream-colored silk, accented by sky blue trim. For her something "borrowed", Regina had leant a strand of black pearls that contrasted well with the color of the gown. In terms of something "old", Diaval had given her an antique bracelet that belonged to his mother, and for her something "new": well her soon-to-be-husband would discover that surprise _later._

Unable to keep a smirk from crossing her features at the mental image of Diaval's reaction (both to the gown and her private gift to him); Maleficent swept some errant strands of hair from her shoulders, straightened her posture, and announced: "I'm ready."

* * *

><p>The walk down the aisle was slightly less nerve-racking after she got a look at Diaval - looking exceptionally handsome but anxious - waiting at the altar for her.<p>

She clung to Aurora's arm (her god-daughter had all but demanded that she be the one to give her away, and there had been little argument to the contrary), smiling as she passed by friendly faces.

They had a very small crowd: close friends and Diaval's sister, who had flown in from California for the occasion, but in Maleficent's eyes, it was everything she wished for.

Any remaining butterflies in her stomach disappeared entirely when she reached her husband-to-be, who immediately took her hands in his to help her step up next to him. "Wow…" he murmured, his eyes widening when he got a really good look at her after lifting her veil. "You look stunning."

Her lovely face glowed due to the praise. "Wait till you see the surprise I have for you _later_."

The ceremony itself was a blur, mainly because they were too busy staring and smiling at each other, in awe of the fact that their future together was about to truly begin, but the couple managed to pay attention long enough to exchange vows and rings (proper ones this time, made of white-gold).

When the permission was given to "kiss the bride", Diaval didn't hesitate in dipping her dramatically in order to do so, which caused her to laugh brightly before drawing him forward to seal their new union.

Cheers erupted from the spectators – mainly Aurora, who could always be counted on for such things – but the newly-weds were too consumed with each other to be even remotely embarrassed by it.

* * *

><p>"So what did you mean earlier by <em>surprise<em>?" Diaval asked much later, when they finally managed to sneak away from the reception.

A very mischievous smirk graced his wife's features as she opened the door to their hotel room. "Help me out of this gown and you'll see for yourself."

He arched an eyebrow, but reached for the zipper of her dress after he shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it on the bed.

His eyes widened as he slid the garment down off her shoulders. "Mal…when did you get this?"

She glanced back at him. "A couple of weeks back. What do you think? Does it cover the scars?"

He ran his hands reverently over her skin, along a tattoo of raven-black, feathered wings. "Yes. Did it hurt much?"

She shook her head and twisted into his arms. "Not really. I wanted to do something unique for my "something new"…though," she gestured at her white strapless bra and underwear, "these are also new, but they weren't the surprise."

Laughing, Diaval tugged her as close as possible. "Well it suits you. Now, my lovely wife: as much as I'd love to skip to the _fun_ part of our wedding night, I'm starving. How about you?"

Maleficent chuckled. "I'm famished. There really isn't any time to eat at a wedding."

"So: room-service and then hours of love-making? Is that the plan?"

She grinned, nodded, and then met his lips with hers.

Their happily ever-after was already looking bright.

The End


End file.
